297
David
I woke up to the scent of Lucy's hair in my nose. A low, content rumble shook through me as I pulled her closer and adjusted the blanket. I was about to drift back into sleep when the sound of my phone ringing yanked me back to consciousness. I pulled it out as Lucy started to stir and answered. It was Trent.
“David, we have a problem,” he said in a serious tone. I could hear the vroom of an engine in the background. "There's been… an incident, and it's not isolated."
For fuck's sake. I sat up, tucked the blanket tighter around Lucy and left her my suit jacket before walking a few paces away.
"Go on."
"There was an attack the territory. I'm headed to the SCF office now… Oren's made a move, of a sort. He's here in Blood Moon apparently, demanding reparations."
I grit my teeth. "Was anyone hurt?"
"… Blue and Amos."
"How badly?"
"I don't know yet. They aren't giving me details. They're both in custody, apparently Amos killed a few people."
I frowned. "That's…"
I set my jaw. "Where did they attack? Who?"
"Bloodborne's headquarters. A bomb had been placed, it set off the wards. Of course a fight broke out—"
"Why wasn't I notified?"
"Because you're nineteen and on a damn date. Focus. Blue dismantled the bomb before it could do any damage… but not before the assailants managed to do some damage to her, I'm guessing. Hence the murder charge. I don't have the details of what exactly went on, but I can guess that it's related to the Spear of the Moon Wars. Apparently, it was stolen not too long ago by Oren and a group of his toadies."
I glanced over at Lucy and found her awake and looking at me.
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
Lucy rubbed her eyes. "Something happened?"
"Oren happened," I said, gritting my teeth. "I'm sorry."
She shook her head and yawned, getting up and drawing my suit jacket tighter around her shoulders.
"We have to go?"
I bit my lip and kneeled beside her, buttoning my suit jacket on her. She looked adorable. I kissed her forehead.
"One day, I damn sure hope it's a we." Her eyes brightened. "For now, it's just me, and I will drop you off at your home. I don't want you anywhere near Oren right now."
She shuddered and nodded. I'd get why she had that reaction from her some other day. For now, I just had to keep her safe. I packed up or picnic and got her back in the car. I walked her inside the building before heading back to Blood Moon's SCF base.
I parked and as I entered I smelled Oren before I saw him. Something in me turned vicious and feral. He smelled like rotting blood and something else that turned my stomach.
"My pack members are dead," he said, haughtily. "I have the right to be compensated."
"Of course, Alpha Oren."
I walked toward the desk, and he turned, looking smug. Then, he went still, looking over me. There was a sick covetous look in his eye as he looked at me along with malice and a sneering smugness that made me want to claw his face off.
"You don't have a right to a damn thing," I said, keeping my voice even.
Oren looked me in my eye. We stood about the same height to my surprise. I could see my ancestor's memory of looking down into his eyes and couldn't wait for the day I'd be the same height. It was coming. Maybe I could speed it along before the Festival.
"Your… pack member killed three of mine," he said, sneering.
"My beta defended his wife and my territory from an attack you staged," I turned to look at the Council representative who looked like he'd rather be anywhere by here. "Given that this was an attack in my territory, nothing will be done without going into negotiations."
"Listen, whelp," he said. "You—"
I snarled at him. The anger of my bloodline, for centuries and generation bubbled to the surface. I felt the sift starting even as I bared my fangs at him.
"Negotiate, or we'll solve this the old fashioned way."
The blood lust in his eyes was enough to make me want to summon a sword and ram it through his chest.
"I'd like that," he said. "Your father was too spineless to face me."
"Traditionally?" I asked.
He smirked. "I'll have your head as a piece of armor."
"U-Uhm, well…" The representative cleared his throat. "As a representative of the Council, I can't overlook that the Blood Moon Pack's registered beta broke the law. He will have to either be sentenced to death or imprisonment."
I looked at the representative. "Amos and Blue, my beta and Estate Manager, will be coming home with me tonight without fuss or whatever fear you have of Oren is going to be the last of your problems."
I glared at him. The man lost all color in his face.
"The Covens, the Clans, and the Elven Kingdoms will eat you alive."
His eyes bulged. 'T-The K-Kingdoms?"
"Blue is part elvish. Half, to be specific," I said. "Do you want to even know what Amos is and who will be here if he isn't released within the next hour?"
He gulped audibly. Amos and Blue's relationship, while born of love so bright it was blinding, was a binding allegiance between a prominent elvish kingdom and a Clan of dragon shifters. The Black Scale clan would rain down hellfire if they caught wind of this situation and there was no proper resolution of the situation.
"You have a lot of nerve to talk about the law when you are blatantly ignoring the fact that his pack members, on his orders or not, attempted to plan a bomb in my territory and assaulted two ranking members of my pack." I looked at Oren. "Knowing what kind of alpha you are, I can only assume that it was on your orders."
"And if it was?" Oren asked, grinning. "You can't prove it. My pack members ended up dead that outweighs any of your suspicions."
"I don't need to prove it, and even if I did, surveillance would be enough." His eyes narrowed. "Welcome to the twenty-first century. Besides, suspicion of your involvement, especially in conjunction with your theft of the Spear from Black Moon is enough to consider it terrorism."
He laughed. "You can't prove a damn thing."
"Peter has footage of you and your merry band of thieves. When he's ready to deal with you, Blue Moon will be losing more assets than you have to spare." I bared my teeth. "After I take my pound of flesh first."
Oren snarled. He swung. I lifted a shield so he slammed his fist into it, shattering the bones in his hand. He cried out, gripping it, and I smiled as several Council representatives and Enforcers came. The alarm was sounding loud and clear.
"You—"
"You attacked me in the middle of negotiations," I said. "Trent… start drafting the petition to have Oren and all of Blue Moon sanctioned. All members of Blue Moon are nearby prohibited from entering my territory without permission from me."
Trent chuckled. "On it."
"You think I give a damn about some piece of paper?" Oren snarled. "I'm—"
"An idiot if you think a sanction is just a piece of paper. Let this be your official warning that if you don't cooperate," I glanced at the representative. "And you don't do your fucking job, you'll be arrested by Blood Moon forces for collusion and terrorism." I grinned, devilishly. "In Blood Moon there is no option for jail in cases of terrorism, assault, invasion or collusion. Only death, and I don't need Council permission to execute anyone who means me and my pack harm, let alone traitors."
I met Oren's gaze. "My ancestor learned the hard way that leniency and mercy cost more in the long run."
Oren's eyes narrowed. Moonlight drifted through his eyes. I could almost see him remembering the moment he infected Fenris. I wondered if that wench was telling him to back down before he got himself killed again. It must be hard to be so out of touch with the current world and not realize it. He snarled, shaking his hand.
"Don't pretend like you have any real power." He sneered. "You don't have the guts to kill, kid."
I could see him on his knees, wordless, beaten. I could see the moment Fenris had shown leniency and had been betrayed. If only he knew how gleefully I would kill him here and now.
"I suppose we'll see in the arena, won't we?"
He narrowed his eyes again, searching my face. I met his gaze steadily.
"Trent, get Amos and Blue out of their holding cells and get me a representative that can actually do their job."
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